Halloween Million Dollar Treat
Posted by leah on October 31, 2008 at 10:25 AM
If you haven't already eaten the goodies you bought for trick-or-treaters tonight, it's safe to assume we'll all be eyeing the unwanted leftovers of Good n' Plentys, Bit o' Honeys and Candy Corn to curb our sugar fix from the weekend.
My personal favorites are Milky Way Bars and 3 Musketeers - and I'm sad to say that neither hopped on the Pay-Per-Click train to promote Halloween. Especially since Mars, Inc. (M&Ms, Twix, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Snickers etc.) is having a $1,000,000 Halloween cash giveaway.
Image: Halloween Candy by rochelle, et. al.
I searched [Halloween candy] in Google, and Hershey's Gifts, Jelly Belly and BulkFoods.com positioned in the top three paid search positions, followed by Toucandy.com, Girardelli.com and CandyWarehouse.com. I went further and searched [Halloween], [Halloween treats], [Halloween goodies], and [Halloween Giveaway] and none of Mars, Inc. candies were listed in either Paid or Natural.
The Mars, Inc. Halloween promotion had a special Web site created: Halloweenmillion.com. If a user enters their contact information they're automatically registered to win a $100 - $500 Visa pre-paid credit card. The user can go further into the site and register to win the $1,000,000 cash giveaway with a UPC code. The more UPCs entered the better chance at winning. If the user doesn't have a UPC, the site allows a single entry by entering Halloween. With such a large amount of money being given away, it's a scary shame Mars, Inc. did not more thoroughly promote this campaign with PPC.
That's one of the greatest benefits about paid search; there is more control with timely promotions similar to the Mars, Inc. giveaway. There's more control over the message given, the position in which the promoter wants to be and the landing page. Basically, if you have an upcoming Holiday promotion or an event you simply want to advertise - use Paid search. There is a faster turnaround, and more control in terms of position, message and landing page.
In conclusion, I'm going to leave you with a treat. If you're handing out candy (hopefully not Good n' Plentys or Bit o' Honeys) or taking your kids trick-or-treating tonight, think about the next sensitive promotion or upcoming event that your company wants to promote online. Paid search will give you the control needed for a successful campaign.
Oh, and pretend I just handed you a Snickers bar. Boo!
Tags
Halloween Candy
Paid Search
Oneupweb
Shop Early & Often This Holiday Season
Posted by vern on October 30, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Enough with the gloom and doom already! Is anyone else out there as sick and tired of the steady drumbeat of the impending "economic apocalypse" from the media as I am?
Last time I checked, 94% of Americans had jobs. 98% of us weren't losing our homes to foreclosure. Gasoline prices continue to fall. I filled my gas tank for less than $30 this morning, for crying out loud.
Other prices are coming down as well. This holiday season could be one of the best on record for gift buyers and gift recipients.
You may ask - has Vern lost his mind? Nobody's that optimistic. And what's this all have to do with paid search anyway? Well, read on, all you shopping neophytes. The silver lining in the storm clouds of recession is price competition. And the internet - your "A" ticket to shopping Nirvana.
Why the admonition to Shop Early? Shortages of this year's "hot" gifts are likely as manufacturers have cut production, fearing the recession will dampen demand. C'mon guys, this is America, we're all hard-wired from birth to be the consumption engine for the planet. Nevertheless, once you've finalized your shopping list, get busy! Get online!
Retailers, online and brick and mortars, are falling all over themselves to compete on price. In a land where almost everything we buy has become a commodity, the only ways to effectively compete are through price and convenience. The success of Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Costco are testament to pricing. The internet makes shopping convenient.
How's a shopper to find the best prices efficiently, without spending endless hours jumping from website to website? Well, you have to know what you're looking for.
Zero in on a manufacturer and product name. Model number helps as well. Then go to Google and perform a very narrow search. A less specific search like: Garmin GPS won't do. Enter something like: Garmin nuvi 205W GPS in the Google text box. Google will serve up a results page with extremely relevant, targeted results and make price comparisons a snap. Check out the Shopping Results link. Comparing shipping details is less transparent, but be sure to confirm shipping costs and time to delivery.
The Shop Often portion of the title should be obvious. We all need to do our part to avoid a recession and prove the pundits wrong. Don't let all the talk of hard times become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Max out those credit cards! Interest rates came down again this week. Yippie!
Google Tests Brain Waves of YouTube Viewers
Posted by alex on October 29, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Ok, so it might not be as creepy as it sounds, but it is true. Google, in conjunction with MediaVest, a media specialist company, recently partnered with NeuroFocus, an advertising research firm that specializes in neuroscience.
The reported reason for the partnership is to gauge the effectiveness of YouTube's InVideo overlay ads by analyzing viewer brain waves.
InVideo overlay ads occupy the bottom third of YouTube videos, are semi-transparent, and can include animation. Clicking the ad opens a new video player, while pausing the original video.
Here's an example:
Google launched these overlay ads last year in an attempt to compliment and assist more traditional advertising.
Now Google is hoping to better understand YouTube user behavior and get a more accurate feel of the influence these ads have on YouTubers. Using a small sampling of people, Google and NeuroFocus tested various behavior and reactions to these ads through skin response, eye movement, pupil dilation, and an EEG brain scan.
The results of these studies hope to show how the subconscious brain works and the effects it has on the conscious brain. Don't worry, the whole process may sound like the next great Steven King thriller, but in essence... it wasn't that fun! In order to test these behaviors, sensors were placed on the participant's heads as they viewed and interacted with YouTube.
Now, typically, you may think that a simple click-through rate would be able to effectively track the success of overlay ads. However, since InVideo ads are designed to be non-intrusive, they generate a need for a form of reporting that goes beyond what a click-through rate can give them. Therefore, as Leah Spalding, the Advertising Research Manager for Google explains, they needed more of a technologically sensitive approach.
Click through was important.. but since we're looking at brand impact, it's not enough to just look at the click through rate (CTR). CTR will not give us any indication as far as how memorable an ad is, or metrics on brand impact, etc. For these reasons it's important to include and consider CTR but to look beyond that.
According to NeuroScience and Google, the results of the brain wave readings showed that the overlay ads have a high level of engagement, enough to influence user behavior as well as improve overall brand response, with scores that ranked above the typical results of a NeuroScience evaluation. (This information was presented in a Webinar that aired October 23, 2008.)
However, Yaakov Kimelfeld, Ph.D., Digital Research and Analytics Director at MediaVest, conveyed that this type of testing is not proven to be an accurate measurement of advertising's true emotional impact; but, it is something that researchers are working on.
For now I think we are safe from Google brain wave scanners coming through our computer screens and filtering through our thoughts and web behavior. While this type of research is new in the online ad space, it may not be long until advertisers begin jumping on the brain wave bandwagon in order to potentially eliminate the guess work in advertising.
Android Has Arrived
Posted by chip on October 28, 2008 at 01:43 PM
After much fanfare, the T-Mobile G1, the world's first Android based smartphone, was released on the 22nd of this month.
For those of you who aren't familiar, Android is an open sourced software stack for mobile devices which includes an operating system, middleware and applications. Backed by Google, Android's arrival has been anxiously awaited since the rumors of the Google phone first started to surface a couple of years ago.
After this much anticipation, it would have been very easy for the release to dissapoint. However that was not the case at all. In an interview with Mercury News, Peter Chou, chief executive and co-founder of HTC, who's the actual manufacturer of the G1 device, stated that he expects to ship more than 600,000 devices this year alone and that he feels confident in their ability to compete with the iPhone in the growing smartphone market.
The rush by opportunistic eBay sellers to turn these devices for a profit, including unlocked versions that are reportedly going for as much as $1,000, has certainly matched the similar mania that followed the release of the iPhone. So if this can be considered a type of litmus test, it certainly looks like the G1, and the Android platform for that matter, are off to a great start.
That's not to say that there haven't been a couple of glitches during the initial release, including a security flaw that was found in the device's web browser and reportedly already has a patch in development. There's a thread over at T-Mobile where it seems people are having all sorts of problems with the POP3/IMAP email service.
But despite these bumps in the road, which I for one tend to both expect and accept with any new launch, the device seems very cool. Not to mention eerily similar to the images that surfaced in many places, including right here, over a year ago speculating as to what the rumored "gPhone" might look like.
I for one am pleased to see the Android release, not only because of devices like the G1, but because as an open sourced platform, it's sure to lead to many cool mobile apps to talk about in the future.
Oneupweb Shopping Cart Parade Benefits Salvation Army
Posted by starr on October 27, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Please don't get the food wet.
Please don't get the food wet.
Please don't get the food wet.
This was my mantra last Friday as I dodged rain drops while pushing a cart of food over a mile. I had a basket full of boxed rice, spaghetti, oatmeal and canned goods that I wanted to get safely to the Salvation Army Food Kitchen, better known as Sal's Kitchen.
What was I doing pushing a cart of food when it was raining? Well, it only sprinkled a bit and who can really predict Michigan weather anyway - NOT ME. My cart was just one of 36 pushed by Oneupweb employees to help stock the local Traverse City food pantry.
Photo Credit: Adam Renault
Like many pantries across the country, it too has been affected by the economic downturn. As more people are faced with hard times, they go to Sal's for a little help. But who helps Sal's? That's what our CEO, Lisa Wehr, was thinking about a week ago when she decided her company needed to lend a hand.
I have to say it was the most creative food donation I have ever made. Not that food donations need to be creative and entertaining, but actively pushing a cart of food and loading it into a Salvation Army truck made me feel so much more involved with helping a worthwhile cause.
Photo Credit: Adam Renault
Anyone can write a check. Not everyone can maneuver a cart with a mind of its own, missing pot holes by a fraction of an inch! For me, physically pushing a cart and filling a truck to proactively help someone in need was incredibly satisfying.
I also have to admit that I don't think about food donations until around Thanksgiving. Lisa's idea got me thinking about just how important it is to help these pantries before the holidays, especially now, when times are tough for many.
Photo Credit: Adam Renault
So if you find a few spare cans of peas, or boxes of cereal, please think about your local Salvation Army. It doesn't have to get there creatively, it just has to get there.
Update: Here's a little video of Oneupweb's shopping cart parade.
Tags
Salvation Army
Donation
Oneupweb
Contextual Targeting Reaches Ready-to-Buy Audience
Posted by starr on October 24, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Dear Salesperson,
Don't call me. Don't knock on my door. Don't buy annoying pop-up ads that block my view to my favorite website. As a matter of fact, just don't bug me at all.
Sincerely,
Joe Consumer
Ok, so consumers are more likely to hang up on a telemarketer that won't stop calling than write a letter. However, the letter illustrates an opinion, albeit a kinder and gentler opinion, that most consumers have - Don't bug me.
This is what I love about contextual targeting. You don't find me Mr. Salesman, unless I am actually interested! Let's take Google's content network advertising program as an example. Google allows AdWords advertisers to target their audience through a network of websites referred to as the content network. So If I am a faithful reader of Redbook and you are a women's shoe retailer, it may behoove you to advertise on Redbook's featured web page about shoes. Voila, ready-to-buy audience reached.
The U.S. Commerce Department reported total retail sales (excluding petroleum, autos and restaurants) grew 3.7% last year. By comparison, e-retailing grew 22% with no end in sight, despite current economic conditions. Imagine now, just how easy it becomes to click on that AdSense ad for designer shoes. No waiting in line. No money spent on gas (if you even have a store that sells designer shoes in your neighborhood). I can literally wait around in my PJs for my Jimmy Cho's to arrive.
But, Starr, you say, I hate Google. It's just a big search monopoly and I refuse to spend my money with them. OK, so that's a little harsh, especially since Google is the undisputed search leader. Point is there are other alternatives, such as AdBrite an e-commerce site that sells ad space on thousands of different websites. Vibrant Media is another company that offers an in-text, contextually targeted advertising program. And let's not forget Yahoo!'s Publisher Network and Microsoft adCenter's upcoming Publisher Program.
Check out different company networks to see what's right for you. The true point here is with contextual targeting, you may find your ideal customer with less hassle and less expense than traditional direct marketing forms.
With a growing society sick of being bothered by advertisers, and new technologies revolutionizing communication, customers can get the service they want, when they want and how they want. It's time businesses started utilizing methods of targeting customers in creative, less intrusive ways.
Tags
Contextual Targeting
Content Network
Oneupweb
Prioritizing Your Online Marketing Efforts
Posted by steve on October 23, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Are you thinking of ways to drive more traffic to your website? Or how best to interact with your customers and/or target market?
First off, you're not alone. I talk with people every day that are looking to grow their businesses online, some of whom have a strong idea as to the strategies they'd like to employ, while others are looking for direction as to the best route to take.
Let's use a fictitious example:
Say Wilbur works for a renowned company with a well-established brand and website. They're currently engaging in encompassing search marketing initiatives in order to continuously build on their presence throughout the engines. They also have strong email and mobile marketing campaigns in place, and are serving ads throughout Google's search and content network. Wilbur's been tasked to find vendors capable of ramping up their display advertising campaign.
I talk with Wilbur and he gives me a breakdown of their current efforts, along with their objectives and digital marketing budget for the year. After doing some digging on my end, I find that their display advertising strategy is relatively sound and that they have optimal visibility in the right places. While doing research, I also find that there are a lot of people on the web talking about their brand and products, and not always positively, with no representation or moderation from their company.
Based on my analysis, I come back to Wilbur with a strategy for better managing these side conversations. I explain that while opportunities exist to enhance their display advertising efforts, it is my recommendation to shift priorities and allocate their budget toward online reputation management.
This type of situation is a common one. Businesses often times know what they're looking for going in to a conversation regarding digital marketing, but after learning more about their current efforts and discovering where significant opportunities lie, it turns out that their resources would be much better served elsewhere.
It's also not uncommon for companies to be dead on in the types of marketing initiatives they're planning, in which case I help to formulate the best strategies around the specific engagements that they're seeking.
There is a tendency, however, to try the newest thing out there, whether it's social media marketing, mobile marketing, or better media placement targeting. The newest thing, though, isn't always the best thing. Many times, the shortfalls of prior efforts turn companies off of a particular initiative that has the potential to generate significant gains.
Regardless of how sizeable your marketing budget is, it's critical to understand all of the options that you have relative to building a stronger brand and online presence, and subsequently prioritizing that budget and your resources toward those that are right for your business.
Tags
Marketing Strategy
Online Strategies
Oneupweb
Goodbye Bush, Hello Obama - 124,000 People Agree to Meet & Do Nothing
Posted by duncan on October 21, 2008 at 04:19 PM
I am still trying to get my head around this phenomenon. Through Facebook I was invited to the Goodbye Bush! - Hello Obama! event. I thought, hmm, I get a fair share of odd Facebook pokes, drinking requests, and notifications. But this Obama thing was a first for me.
My next thought was, oh boy, here we go, one of my local friends is inviting me to a street rally, or to a community center to gather with other Obama enthusiasts. Nope. No such thing. This Goodbye Bush! - Hello Obama! Facebook event takes place online.
Online? Yes.
Alright then there must be some type of application I need to download, or a webcam or something will be needed so I can participate. What? I don't need to do anything to participate? That's right.
I inspected the Event Info (a bit of it seen here).
It turns out this "event" starts on Sunday, November 2, 2008 and ends on Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Wow, that's a long event. The best part is this quote directly from the invitation:
There seems to be a lot of people who think that this is a 'real actual physical event' it's not - its just for fun. You don't actually have to COME to anything - This is an online event only. Just celebrate in your own way somewhere. Wherever you are from.
Alright. I can do that. I don't need to actually be anywhere or do anything, but I get to have a warm fuzzy feeling that I am part of something big. What an age we live in.
I was first invited to this event back in September. I think there were less than 20,000 peoples signed up at that point. Now there are about 124,000 taking part. That means about 3,466 people a day have signed up for the last 30 days. I can't think of a company or brand that wouldn't love to get that kind of action.
So, Duncan, what's the point of all of this? Why are you talking about it?
I am just a bit awestruck at the power of social networking. There are millions of people using Facebook and other social networking tools. They are happy to participate with brands, politicians, and sometimes kooky ideas, if they feel like they will belong to something.
It's great to follow your friends, especially when all you have to do is nothing.
Are Video Games the Next PPC Frontier?
Posted by jared on October 20, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Used to be you'd get home from a long day of work or school and boot up your console or PC for a few hours of mindless relaxation on your favorite video game. Not anymore.
Advertising in video games has increased in recent years as companies, such as Microsoft, Yahoo and Google, have been developing and/or buying up businesses or systems that dynamically insert ads into video games. Ads such as the one in an XBOX 360 racing game featuring Barack Obama on a virtual billboard.
Image: tex playing video games by RebeccaPollard
Recently, Google rolled out AdSense for Video Games, an advertising platform for placing ads on online and Flash-based games. Microsoft purchased Massive, an in-game ad company to help insert ads onto XBOX Live and Windows Live for PC games. Yahoo purchased Double Fusion and NeoEdge, two companies much like Massive. But as it stands, Yahoo and Google aren't nearly as influential in the gaming industry as Microsoft.
The potential for this market is huge. Not only does it reach a demographic that has been distancing itself from traditional advertising outlets such as TV and print, it's also one of the last frontiers of advertising and marketing. According to VentureBeat Digital Media and a study conducted by the Yankee Group, this market is set to become worth close to $1 billion by 2011.
With console systems and PC games incorporating web browsers into their platforms, and with paid search on track to become a $26 billion industry by 2009, will there be an exploration of SEM into using in-game ads for PPC?
As these ad systems get more complex, it's easy to see AdSense in video games becoming part of your PPC campaign, or whole SEM divisions being devoted to targeting gamers who are browsing from their MMO. Imagine targeting ads based on how a gamer plays, what they play, and how they interact within the game's world. Imagine a gamer who can select ads in games to purchase real-world goods based on these criteria.
But the big question is, will gamers really care?
If the gamer demographic, one that thinks corporations are out to get them and control their way of life, is more than just a stereotype, then gamers will likely see big name brands invading their space as annoying and frustrating.
That gamers will be more receptive to ads appearing in games, or that Company X will be perceived as cool or hip, could be speculation by out-of-touch adults who, as Will Smith put it, just don't understand.
And yet the benefits of reaching such a huge audience cannot be ignored.
The risks of missing out on such a potentially lucrative market are undeniable, especially in the realm of search engine marketing. Google didn't always dominate search or online advertising. They reached the top by research and by perfecting what they do. Who's to say they won't do it again in games?
So next time you're pwning noobs online, don't be surprised to see Big Corporation X creeping up behind you for a sweet, sweet kill.
Tags
Advertising
Video Games
Oneupweb
Google Mail Goggles - Pure Stroke of Genius
Posted by maureen on October 17, 2008 at 08:28 AM
I may have previously written about some not-so-nice things concerning search behemoth Google, but this time I have to hand it to them.
Having been through some wild college days myself, I know that not everyone is exercising great decision making skills or mental intelligence, during say, the hours of 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM on a Friday or Saturday night. And sometimes, those emails that you will-undoubtedly-regret sending the next morning just happen to slip through the cracks.
Enter Google Mail Goggles.
By enabling this new Gmail feature, any email that you try to send during the chosen day and time (which defaults to late night on the weekend but you can change) will result in a pop-up box asking if you really want that email to be delivered. And then you have to answer some math questions to verify, in under one minute flat.
Image Credit: Official Gmail Blog
Make a mistake, and Google may just tell you that it's water and bed for you.
While I hopefully won't need this email app tonight, I think it's genius for the college-aged. And, it's funny. Useful and funny can make a great combination, not just in email apps, but social media as a whole.
Now if they could only come out with something like this for texting on cell phones.
Tags
Gmail
Mail Goggles
Oneupweb
The Importance of Customer Satisfaction
Posted by erin k on October 16, 2008 at 01:03 PM
As a Software Developer, there are two constants in my life: books and computers. The story I'm about to relate has to do with the computer constant.
I recently bought a new computer so that I could have a machine to try out new Operating Systems and technologies without the need to worry about damaging, destroying and/or losing information I'd rather not lose. Sure, you can back that stuff up but I anticipated that I'd need to do multiple installs while exploring different options and really didn't want to have to mess with it.
As many of you know, new computers come with a recovery disc so that in the event something goes or you want to reset to factory settings, it's as simple as popping the disc in and letting it do its thing.
These days popping the disc in isn't necessary; the recovery disc is actually a partition on your hard drive that contains the information for recovery. This is nice in that you don't have to worry about losing the disc and having to get another. This is bad if you accidentally overwrite that partition, or worse, your hard drive goes and it's not under warranty.
I've experienced both situations over the years and in the end the only thing I could do is call up the vendor and get them to send an actual recovery disc for the price of about $50.
This irritates me. True, many computers now allow you to create a recovery disc yourself. However, if you don't have the media or, as I did, forget to get the media you need to create the disc before you start reinstalling things, in the end you have to fork over extra cash for something you've already paid for. Hence my irritation. Unfortunately there's little I can do: to my knowledge, most if not all computers are sold like this now and have been for years.
As someone who should have known better, I really have little room to complain. But what about those who are your average computer user? They have every right to be irritated by what to them is going to be perceived as nothing more than another way for the computer vendors to get extra money from them. If they complain, they'll most likely get told as I did that $50 for a recovery disc is a steal compared to what you would pay to purchase the Operating System. Not exactly what a customer in my situation wants to hear. Sure, if I had actually received a physical recovery disc and lost it I can see having to pay for another. But when I wasn't given one in the first place?
So, you're wondering, what exactly is the point of all of this? Customer satisfaction. One of the ways you can keep your customers satisfied is by avoiding hidden or extra fees, be they perceived (as is the case in this situation) or real. Be honest and straight forward with your customers from the beginning about costs they may encounter down the line. Don't shove this information in a corner they're not likely to see. Even if every other competitor you have does things the same way, that's not necessarily going to stop the customer from taking their business elsewhere.
Be honest, be humble, and don't nickel and dime your customers. They'll stick with you longer.
Image: Disc drive by aussiegall
Tags
Backup
Hard Drive
Oneupweb
The Voyage of a Hundred Tacks
Posted by deborah on October 15, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Looking out the window near my workstation at Oneupweb, the beautiful Northern Michigan autumn reminds me of change. Change. The simple word conjures many thoughts and images. Seasons change and so does life. Both remind us to prepare and encourage us to adapt.
How do we prepare and adapt? How do we know which direction to go in order to reach our goals?
Image: A pond for all seasons by pyrator
This past summer, after I was laid off from my job, the reality of being unemployed in today's economy threatened to bury me under the weight of financial and emotional debris. Instead of sinking, I took the opportunity to assess where did I want to be in 5 years or 10? Ever since first visiting Traverse City 20 years ago, I dreamed of moving here after retirement. Happily, this dream became reality earlier than expected, but only as a result of being laid off in June. What seemed like the end was really the open door of opportunity allowing me to transform my life in an unexpected way. A year ago, I was working on the helpdesk in a stressful call center. Today, I'm actively and creatively engaged with a dynamic and wonderful company, surrounded by like-minded talented individuals who have a passion to make a difference.
What is my point? My point is this: Whether in life or business, we have to be willing to explore options, be ready to adapt and be willing to change course at a moment's notice. One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks." We can stay the course in familiar waters, or we can embark in new directions to seek new horizons. The voyage is not always the straightest course, but the destination is always reached if we are diligent and flexible.
The internet moves at the speed of electrons and with it, businesses stretch to keep pace. Discovering what works or doesn't and developing new ways of thinking, allows us to reach our destinations successfully. Thinking outside the box, being willing to try new things, considering different possibilities, brainstorming -- all tacks allowing us to move ever forward toward the direction of success.
Crawl Errors: Google Helps You Clean House
Posted by nick on October 14, 2008 at 12:22 PM
As many webmasters already know, Google Webmaster Tools can provide a wealth of information regarding the visibility of a site in Google. With the latest update, its now even easier to find site crawl errors and, more importantly, the sources of those errors.
A site with broken links not only hinders the user experience, but can also prevent search engines from finding important site content.
The crawl error sources feature in Webmaster Tools provides the information needed to find these broken links and correct them. This new feature is found on the Web Crawl page of the Diagnostics section. In addition to a new column showing the number of errors for each designated URL, it only takes a simple click to view what pages are linking to those URLs. And for those with multiple pages of crawl errors, a full report can be downloaded to view everything in one place.
Image Credit: Google Webmaster Central Blog
Using this information to correct crawl errors can help in a variety of ways.
Backlinks resulting in 404 Not Found pages mean both the site and potential visitors are missing out on the benefit of those links. Correcting these links so they point to functioning, relevant pages can help reestablish the relevancy those links were originally meant to provide.
After a site goes through a redesign and URL rewrite, it's more than likely to have links from other websites pointing to old URLs. This new feature provides the information needed to correct this problem. Whether you prefer to contact the webmaster of the other site and provide them with the new URL, or instead redirect the old URL to the appropriate page, the new crawl error sources feature helps streamline the initial steps of this process.
From a usability standpoint, correcting a website's broken links, both inbound and internal, will help improve the visitor experience. When visitors enter a site and are immediately presented with a 404 page, it really doesn't provide the kind of first impression most businesses want for their site. This goes for internal navigation as well. When a visitor navigates through a site and the links they select keep leading to dead ends, it's likely they won't be clicking through the site much longer.
All in all, when looking to clean house and fix broken site links (both inbound and internal), the new crawl error sources feature of Google Webmaster Tools is a great resource.
Tags
Linking
Broken Links
Oneupweb
Avoiding a Single Point of Failure
Posted by samantha on October 13, 2008 at 04:56 PM
In the rowdy technology circles that myself and my fellow technology workers can be found in, a single point of failure is never known as a good thing.
In laymen's terms, a single point of failure can be defined as any system, be it a network or process that relies on one component to get the job done. That one component, as you may already have guessed, is the single point of failure.
A little over a week ago, I broke my finger. My black Labrador retriever, who was intently focused on her beloved frisbee, used her 55 pounds of unbridled excitement to pull on her leash, which was very improperly wrapped around my finger.
Now, as a Software Developer, my hands serve as a vital component to my day-to-day work activities. Lucky for me, I am surrounded by a talented team of developers who are both willing and able to step right in and compensate for the speed reductions that come along with having one's hand in a cast.
This experience over the last week has made me think a great deal about how important it is to ensure that certain things aren't negatively impacted by a single point of failure, and how when you work with Oneupweb, as a client or an employee, you reap the benefits that come along with having a talented team of industry professionals you can count on, thereby avoiding the risk of a single point of failure.
For our clients, you benefit from the personalized attention and industry expertise that our outstanding team of Project Managers provide on a daily basis. In our collaborative environment, you can be sure that your company can and will reap the rewards of having knowledgeable and experienced SEO and SEM experts who you can count on.
For us employees, we have the opportunities to work with some of the best and brightest minds (in my own maybe not so humble opinion). As an employee, should a mishap (like a broken finger) happen, you can rely on your coworkers to back you up, eradicating the risk of being a single point of failure.
If you're thinking that being a part of the creative and collaborative team over here at Oneupweb sounds pretty cool, you may be interested in our upcoming Career Fair.
After all, while single points of failure aren't very cool, working with a great team is.
Image Credit: clango
Obama Uses Search Engine Marketing for Reputation Management
Posted by dave on October 10, 2008 at 01:00 PM
Before I begin, I want to make it clear that I am not giving an endorsement to either presidential candidate. I am just making an observation, and giving credit where it is due for the creation of a well thought out and well managed search marketing campaign.
This week the Barack Obama campaign made a very savvy move. During a rally in Carson, California last Saturday, Republican Vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin referenced an article in The New York Times discussing the connection between Barack Obama and William Ayers. Soon after, the Obama campaign launched a search marketing campaign designed to mitigate the potential negative press.
The paid campaign cast a broad net covering possible search phrases such as William Ayers and Barack Obama terrorist, while the ad copy was written to address the link that was being drawn between Barack Obama and William Ayers. In addition to creating targeted ad copy to address the issue, the ads take you to a website designed specifically to address the questions people may have regarding this issue.
In addition to reputation management, this campaign also goes on the attack targeting search terms such as Keating 5. Like the reputation management ads, these ads also use targeted copy and utilize a website designed specifically to address the situation.
This campaign was clearly designed to help address specific fears and concerns of voters. By using this approach, the Obama campaign is speaking directly to these voters, while trying to alleviate these fears and concerns.
In contrast, a search for McCain cancer, a phrase that a potential voter worried about the health of presidential candidate John McCain may search for, returns no results. In addition, a search on Keating 5 only returns one result; the one being used by the Obama campaign. However, a generic search for Barack Obama does return an ad from the McCain camp.
So, although it does appear that McCain is making some attempt to sway potential voters online, the approach is not nearly as robust as the one being implemented by Obama.
Given the scope of this campaign, the question remains, is it worth it? Will this online marketing approach help Obama?
To see how the candidates have utilized online marketing over the course of the entire 2008 presidential campaign, take a look a these straight talkin' StraightUpSearch blog posts:
Politics + New Media = Radical (August 2008)
Presidential Campaigns: Online & Everywhere (June 2008)
Memo to Hillary and Barack: YouTube Is a Two-Headed Beast (March 2008)
Democratic Debate - Capitalizing on Heated Exchanges (January 2008)
McCain Buys Hillary. Mitt Buys A Bunch. Others By Stand. (December 2007)
The 2008 Presidential Race Online & Personal (November 2007)
Google Insurance for Wall Street?
Posted by tim on October 09, 2008 at 02:08 PM
The topic of the economy is one all too obvious for those of us in the U.S. and not one I really want to dive deep into at this blog. There are more than enough folks talking about the impending doom on Wall Street.
There is a piece of this story though, that is near and dear to all of us in the online marketing space: the impact on the tech sector and, more specifically, the big G (Google).
(While it's more than obvious, I'm going to offer this caveat; the following observations, comments, musings, are mine - I'm not an expert in financial markets. If you want guidance, watch Cramer - with aspirin - or talk to a pro.)
Google's stock price, like so many others, has taken a hit in the last several days. If we look back to September 21st, the stock price was as high as $449 per share. As of this morning (10/9) Google shares are trading at around $345.
The obvious here is that this all ties much more to real estate and banking than it does to tech. Since the banks are hurting though, and the big money sources are starting to hoard, it does hurt tech, since it's much more unlikely for people to invest on speculation.
There is more at work with Google though, at least I think so. Here's a company who's IPO opened at roughly $80. People were making massive buys on the stock at that price, driving shares up to over $700!
I wonder if what's happened here is that companies are realizing that the only money they have is the huge gains they've made on Google stock. So with everything else going to pot, why not sell off some G and put cash back in the bank?
Maybe in addition to Advertising, and Search, and Publishing (nod, wink), Google inadvertently got into the insurance business.
Google Adds Click-To-Buy Links on YouTube
Posted by keirsun on October 08, 2008 at 12:14 PM
A select group of YouTube publishers have a new option for monetizing their videos: "click-to-buy" links.
The links appear beneath the actual video, and point viewers to other sites where they can purchase content related to the YouTube video.
Currently viewers will find links to Amazon and iTunes on videos from EMI Music, and links to Amazon on videos from game maker Electronic Arts.
This ecommerce upgrade to the Google-owned video sharing site was announced yesterday on the YouTube Blog.
According to the blog post this is the beginning of a larger ecommerce platform on YouTube.
Our vision is to help partners across all industries -- from music, to film, to print, to TV -- offer useful and relevant products to a large, yet targeted audience, and generate additional revenue from their content on YouTube beyond the advertising we serve against their videos.
YouTube expects to expand the "click-to-buy" link option to other content publishers, and to make the links available to YouTube viewers outside of the United States.
Flash Animation using Actionscript3 - Spring and Ease
Posted by robert on October 07, 2008 at 05:10 PM
To fully understand this tutorial, you'll want to have an advance understanding of both Flash CS3 and Actionscript3. However, the script supplied may be used by anyone.
What you'll get...
In Flash CS3, some animations (particularly "dynamic" animations) just aren't possible with your basic timeline motion tweening. Here are some quick functions that can be used to either "spring" or "ease" your Sprites to their target location.
EASE
function easeTo(event:Event):void
{
var t:Object = event.target;
t.x += (goalXease-t.x)*ease;
t.y += (goalYease-t.y)*ease;
var dist:Number = Math.sqrt((goalXease-t.x)*(goalXease-t.x)+(goalYease-t.y)*(goalYease-t.y));
if(dist <= 1){
t.x = goalXease;
t.y = goalYease;
t.removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, easeTo);
}
}
SPRING
function springTo(event:Event):void
{
var t:Object = event.target;
speedX += (goalXspring-t.x)*spring;
speedY += (goalYspring-t.y)*spring;
t.x += (speedX *= resistance);
t