Archive for June 2009
Inbound Marketing University: Kudos to HubSpot
It’s been a busy few weeks for me. The first week of June, I participated in MarketingProfs’ excellent B2B Forum, which I chronicled in some detail here, through a series of posts on SEO, developing online communities, measuring the ROI of social media efforts, and mobile marketing.
The very next week, I started taking online courses in the free Inbound Marketing University, sponsored by the following partners: Constant Contact, HubSpot, InTouch, MarketingExperiments, MarketingProfs, ON24, New Marketing Labs, SEOmoz and SVAMA.
June 15 to 19 was another information-packed, “growing” time for me, attending Inbound Marketing University’s ten webinar classes and one review session, on inbound marketing principles and best practices, including blogging, social media, lead conversion, lead nurturing, and closed-loop analysis. The webinar classes focused on the three parts of the inbound marketing process, including how to get found, how to convert leads, and how to analyze site traffic. Here were my Inbound Marketing instructors:
- Chris Brogan (New Marketing Labs)
- Brian Carroll (InTouch)
- Mack Collier (MarketingProfs)
- Rand Fishkin (SEOmoz)
- Eric Groves (Constant Contact)
- Ann Handley (MarketingProfs)
- Jeanne Hopkins (MarketingExperiments)
- Lee Odden (Top Rank Online Marketing)
- David Meerman Scott (New Rules of Marketing & PR)
- Marshall Sponder (Monster.com)
- Elyse Tager (Silicon Valley AMA)
- Mike Volpe (HubSpot)
In addition to the free online webinars, the program also offers a comprehensive Student Tool Kit, including live class Q&A (HubSpot’s Rebecca Corliss is a natural facilitator and special shoutout to her, for thinking of the Inbound Marketing University concept and for coordinating the certification process), study groups, make-up classes, and a study guide. (By the way, make sure to check out these excellent resources on inbound marketing, available through HubSpot Inbound Marketing’s Presentations on SlideShare and the Inbound Marketing Wiki. HubSpot has also set up a related LinkedIn Group: Inbound Marketers – For Marketing Professionals.)
An Inbound Marketing Certification exam is still available, until June 30, for anyone who completes IMU and passes the exam.
(Update: I passed the challenging Inbound Marketing exam, with a grade of 92%. Here is my Inbound Marketing Professional Certification credential, available on the Inbound Marketing University site: http://www.inboundmarketing.com/user/2647. HubSpot has also set up a LinkedIn group for Inbound Marketing University Alumni. From the #IMU Twitter-feed: 5000 students participated in Inbound Marketing University classes, 1000 took the exam, and 500 passed. According to HubSpot’s Rebecca Corliss, the average grade on the certification exam was a 76%. An Inbound Marketing University re-launch and re-take exam is planned for August 2009. Happy studying.:-))
On my end, I’m very grateful for the timely service HubSpot is providing to the marketing profession, and to the many job-seekers in transition right now. I learned so much from the webinars, and the certification option can only enhance your professional credentials. If you don’t pursue the certification, the recorded webinars and presentation slides are useful in their own right, providing a broad framework for understanding and implementing inbound marketing, from getting found (creating, optimizing, and promoting content), to converting leads to sales, and to analyzing places for improvement in the process. I highly recommend Inbound Marketing University.
And what a brilliant inbound marketing strategy! I don’t think I truly understood how much the marketer’s role has evolved from broadcasting and pitching, to informing and educating its potential customers, until this series of webinar courses. Inbound Marketing University represents inbound marketing, and education, at its best.
Related Links
- Inbound Marketing University: Stats of Note
- Inbound Marketing University: Getting Found (GF101, GF102, and GF 201)
- Inbound Marketing University: Getting Found (GF202, GF301, and GF401)
- Inbound Marketing University: Converting Leads (CV101, CV201, and CV301)
- Inbound Marketing University: Analyzing Site Traffic (AZ401)
MarketingProfs Get to the Po!nt Newsletters: A Content Marketing Success Story
Secret of Success: Content Marketing
I became a MarketingProfs member last December, and with increasing enthusiasm ever since, I have upgraded my levels of membership (from Basic, to Premium, to Premium Plus). This post shows how content marketing was a deciding factor in purchasing my membership. It also shows how you can use content marketing to increase awareness of your personal brand, especially if you are looking for consultant or other work opportunities.
MarketingProfs Get to the Po!nt Newsletters
Before taking the plunge and becoming a member, I had started off subscribing to the free MarketingProfs Get to the Po!nt Newsletters, on about every manner of marketing topic you can imagine: High-Tech MKG & Sales, Search Engine Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Interactive Marketing, B2B Marketing, Email Marketing, Customer Insight, Small Business, and Marketing Inspiration.
The bite-size nuggets of information popped up daily in my e-mail, providing entertaining, well-researched, and well-written summaries, from leading marketing resources, most often with actionable steps, and a concluding point to incorporate into marketing strategy.
Content Marketing Success
It was mainly because of these fun, but informative newsletters that I decided to ante up the membership fee, because I reasoned if the quality of the Get to the Po!nt Newsletters were any indication of the premium content’s quality, then I was making a good investment. My experience later on, with MarketingProfs’ full range of content (including marketing articles, case studies, newsletters, seminars, and conferences) has only confirmed my initial reasons for purchasing and upgrading the membership.
In the same way, the quality content MarketingProfs gave away for free, at its virtual Digital Marketing World in April, was my main incentive for attending the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum this June. Count that as another win, for MarketingProfs’ great content and content marketing.
Other Job-Seekers and Freelancers: A Personal Content Marketing Success Story
Now, I must move on to the “full disclosure” part (my goodness, don’t I sound like a member of the ”blogerati” now?) :-) Through this blog and my various social networks, I have been doing some content marketing of my own, as relates to my personal brand, and hoping to encourage new social media contacts and other potential employers to find me here. This spring, MarketingProfs’ Chief Content Officer Ann Handley (one of the most responsive and smartest folks on Twitter, whom I’ve also enjoyed meeting in person) visited my blog a few times, learned more about my technical and professional writing background, and then asked me to contribute to some of MarketingProfs’ Get to the Po!nt Newsletters, on Search Engine Marketing. Very cool.
My Get to the Po!nt Newsletter Debut: Search Marketing
Since that time, I have worked with top-notch staff editors from MarketingProfs, who have all been wonderfully supportive. A special shoutout to Claire Coyne, for the way she transforms my more matter of fact style into the most engaging copy, and for how hard she obviously works to bring that same lively voice to so many other popular Get to the Po!nt Newsletters.
So, without further ado, here are my debut MarketingProfs’ GTTP newsletters, from the past month:
There you go–one small step for social media, one giant leap for Peg-kind. That’s my personal content marketing success story, which tips from MarketingProfs’ content helped make possible. The point here: I’m glad I subscribed to MarketingProfs’ free Get to the Po!nt Newsletters. How about you?
Photo credit, hapticflapjack
Related Links
Social Media for Good: Jennifer Bechard on the Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK
From Peg:
The following post is by guest blogger, Jennifer Bechard (available at Jenn.Bechard@gmail.com), whom I met on Twitter as @Jenn1423. She is Co-Chair of the Detroit Hydrocephalus Walk and also suffers from hydrocephalus. Through this post, she hopes to raise awareness and funds for this little known condition, which significantly impacts the quality of life, of over one million Americans alone. I am very grateful to Jennifer for helping me to kick-off this Live with Abundance series, which aims to highlight the giving and positive attitude, which Jennifer represents to me, and obviously to so many others.
And now Jennifer’s story, in her own words…
What is Hydrocephalus?
Most people have never heard of this condition, let alone have to answer this question. Although hydrocephalus is not the typical household word, it is not uncommon. Hydrocephalus, commonly referred to as “water on the brain,” is a lifelong chronic neurological condition, characterized by an increased volume of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), within the spaces inside the brain. Hydrocephalus affects over one million Americans from newborns to seniors and at present, there is no cure.
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus, and the most common procedure performed by pediatric neurosurgeons in the U.S., is surgical implantation of a device called a shunt. A shunt is a flexible tube and valve system, draining CSF from the brain to another part of the body. Oftentimes, repeated neurosurgical operations are necessary to treat hydrocephalus. Fifty percent of shunted individuals require a revising operation within two years. An estimated 40,000-shunt operations are performed each year in this country, as standard treatment. This is 1 every 13 minutes. Due to the lack of advancements in these treatment methods, many people with hydrocephalus are unable to lead full and productive lives.
Raising Awareness and Funds for a Better Way of Life
Hydrocephalus is not discussed nearly enough. We need to be heard; our stories need to be told. The lives affected by hydrocephalus need to know there is hope for a brighter future and support is available! Awareness is vital and raising funds for research is crucial. There needs to be a better way of life for those suffering. The management of recurrent shunt malfunctions remains a serious problem for all too many shunted patients. I know this because at the age of 11, I was diagnosed with Communicating Hydrocephalus.
I have undergone 87 surgeries to correct my shunt, over 60 of them, in just the past 3 years alone. My life has been put on hold due to several shunt complications. My senior year of high school, my health declined tremendously, my life was changing, and I needed to adjust very quickly. Thousands of lives have been saved through shunt technology, but the overall design of shunt valves has changed little through the past 50 years. There is much more research that needs to be done to improve shunt technology, therefore improving the quality of life.
I can honestly say that I do not know what it feels like to live a day without a headache or what it means to be pain free. But I am not alone in this and that is exactly what inspires me to help find a cure. I want to share my experience and show people that with a little bit of faith and determination, you can overcome any obstacle you are faced with.
Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK
In 2007, my mom started the First Annual Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK. We are hoping that each year the walk will continue to grow and become a large statewide event. By the year 2010, the Hydrocephalus Association is hoping to have events in each state. This year, we are hosting the Third Annual Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK-WHEEL-RUN And Family Fun Day, at Livonia’s Rotary Park, located at 32300 6 mile, Livonia, MI 48152, on Sunday, August 2, 2009. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Rotary Pavilions 1 and 2. The 3-mile walk is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.
Social Media for Social Good
Throughout some of my long hospital stays, the Internet became my outlet and source of finding information on Hydrocephalus. This past year, I began searching for ways to spread awareness of Hydrocephalus. What better way than forms of social media? Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and emailing are just a few of the forms of social media I have personally used to educate myself, spread awareness, network, and raise funds for the Hydrocephalus Association and the Detroit Hydrocephalus Walk. It is amazing how many people and networking contacts can be made in just one day through the Internet sites. In my opinion, it is the most productive and efficient way to reach people in today’s fast paced life style. Our WALK is growing quickly and word about the Hydrocephalus Association is spreading all over the Internet.
Our 2007 Walk was planned in a two-month time span, due to my condition at the time. There was not much time for planning, so the quickest way for us to spread the word was through email. Our attendance for the 2007 Walk was 100 people raising almost $7,000.00. In 2008, I was hospitalized very often, so once again there was not much time for planning, but having learned from the previous year, we were able to take advantage of the Internet more, and as a result had over 200 participants, raising over $18,000.00. This year, we are estimating over 300 participants at the Walk, and I believe this is a result of all the research done and contacts made via the Internet.
Improving Lives Together
This walk is truly inspirational and has given me the motivation I need to fight through each day. I truly believe I was given this life for a reason, and I am strong enough to live it. I have hydrocephalus; hydrocephalus does not have me. I will not let this illness beat me and I will never let the pain control my life. My goal and lifelong mission is to reach out to others, share my experiences, give support, and restore hope. I am more determined now than ever to raise awareness, funds for research, and bring those affected together. With the help of the Hydrocephalus Association, we will take steps towards improving lives.
Please Help
Please help The Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK reach our fundraising goal. Pass this onto family, friends, & co-workers. http://www.gifttool.com/athon/AthonDetails?ID=1488&AID=751
If you would like to attend the walk & would like more information, e-mail me at Jenn.Bechard@gmail.com or Denise Bechard at DJBhydrowalkMI@gmail.com.
For more information on Hydrocephalus and the Hydrocephalus Association please visit: http://hydroassoc.org/ Also, the Hydrocephalus Association made the recommendation list for the @Top10Causes on Twitter. Voting goes on until the 30th. Currently we are in first by about .5 The link is: http://ow.ly/ebIy
Thank you for your time and generosity.
Remember saving lives isn’t enough; we need to attend to the quality of life!
Post and Pitures Provided by Jennifer Bechard, CO-Chair Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK
Related Links
Kicking off the “Live with Abundance” Series: Social Media for Good
In my Finding the “Abundance Mentality” with Social Media post last month, I talked about how social media, most especially Twitter, has raised my awareness of so many worthy causes and increased my personal “abundance mentality.” In Links for Social Good, May 2009: Breast Cancer Awareness, I tried to keep that giving and positive spirit going in this blog. That was when JBBC of Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer commented on my blog, and my abstract good intentions quite suddenly became more personal. Through JBBC’s visit to my blog, and my subsequent reading of her blog, “a cause” I supported (mainly, due to my own mom’s diagnosis and ultimate passing from breast cancer almost twenty-five years ago), became a real person again, whose voice and journey continue to inspire me. @JBBC and I interact on Twitter now, and her story is part of my awareness and vicarious emotional experience (what I guess we call empathy).
Over the last month, I read a post somewhere that expressed concern over whether social media and online experience in general may desensitize us to others’ experiences, or possibly hurt the way we interact in person. I very much believe that technology is neither good nor bad in itself, and it’s more how and why we use technology that determines its impact. In the case of JBBC’s blog, technology connected me to an amazing person, and made me more deeply feel her story, and by extension, the stories of all those who are going through cancer treatment, or like JBBC, are survivors of that treatment, moving forward with the rest of their lives. If social media technology can isolate and desensitize us, it can certainly also powerfully connect people and help us better emphasize with each other. Through social media, I have also attended several in-person events and met people whom I would have never known otherwise—a somewhat big-deal for a natural introvert (as many writers are) and busy, working mom of three, who doesn’t have a lot of time to socialize these days.
Perhaps like most things in life, social media technology is double-edged, with balance as the key.
Enter Jennifer Bechard, also known as @Jenn1423, on Twitter. Throughout the course of this month, a persistent and cheerful voice kept sending me the occasional shoutout, about supporting the Detroit Hydrocepephalus WALK. I’m from Boston, and I had no idea what hydrocepephalus was at the time, so the fundraising effort didn’t immediately capture my attention. —But there was something about Jennifer’s avatar (the picture that’s part of her profile on Twitter) that I instantly responded to and liked. I think it was (and still is) her smile and warm brown eyes.
So, when I was looking for a topic for my “Live with Abundance” series this month, I thought of all Jennifer’s diligent efforts to raise awareness on Twitter, and that’s mostly why I decided to highlight her fundraising effort. I was also curious about the word and condition hydrocepephalus, which were totally unfamiliar to me.
Though I knew Jennifer was Co-Chair of the Detroit Hydrocepephalus WALK, I didn’t realize that Jennifer herself was suffering from hydrocepephalus, or the full extent of what that means, until I opened her moving, determined, and faith-filled story, in my e-mail.
Is there a dark side to social media? Sure, probably, and you can read about it, here. But when you read Jennifer’s story, and the stories of amazing strength, inspiration, volunteerism, and social action that I plan this “Live with Abundance” series to present, you can rest assured that social media has a bright side, too.
Photo credit, John-Morgan
Related Links
- Holding Us Together: Stories and Compassion
- Social Media for Good: Jennifer Bechard on the Detroit Hydrocephalus WALK
- The first “Social Media for Social Good” initiative by Mashable: Summer of Social Good
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: Trends in Strategy and Spending
As part of attending the MarketingProfs’ Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA), I received a complimentary copy of MarketingProfs’ latest research: B2B Marketing in 2009: Trends in Strategies and Spending (a $279 value). This report, completed jointly by MarketingProfs and Forrester Research, “updates for the second consecutive year insights and trends in B2B marketing with respect to budget and marketing mix allocations.” Based on a survey of 656 marketing executives and management professionals from the MarketingProfs’ membership and Forrester business-to business panel, it is intended to serve as ”a go-to resource all year long for making marketing strategy and budget decisions.”
I have read the report, which to me represents the same high quality as all of MarketingProfs’ resources, including its marketing articles, case studies, and newsletters. The well-written Executive Summary pulls out all key findings, which are shown in appropriate quantitative detail, throughout the rest of the report’s contents.
Here are a few key nuggets:
- “Digital and traditional tactics are being woven into an integrated marketing program. Traditional media still represent the largest share of budgets in most cases, suggesting that new media are mostly being integrated into the mix rather than totally displacing traditionally approaches. Because Web-based media have a lower apparent cost, reduced budgets are driving the shift away from more costly traditional media and toward less costly new tactics.”
- “Just over half (53%) of the respondents in 2008 are Web 2.0 “Integrators” — that is, they report integrating at least one Web 2.0 tactic (blogs, discussion forums, or Other Web 2.0 Media, which are interactive and community-based, not one-way/broadcast out) into their marketing mix. This is up from a year ago when 46% were integrating Web 2.0 tactics.”
- “Large and Medium-size companies tend to stick with traditional and Web 1.0 tactics. Large and Medium-size companies report usage of all traditional tactics–and many Web 1.0 tactics–at significantly higher levels than smaller companies. Smaller companies approach or exceed Large companies in reported usage of Web 2.0 tactics.”
- “Emphasis is particularly strong on use of Search Marketing, Webinars, Email, and Company Web Site”–all of which are slated for budget increases in the 2009 marketing mix.”
- “In coping with the effects of reduced budgets, the majority of marketers indicate they plan to direct their activities to a more narrowly targeted audience. …Web 2.0 tactics…”lend themselves much more to one-on-one communication and can therefore be very targeted and relevant to their audiences.”
At the Digital Marketing Mixer this fall (Oct. 21-22, 2009, Chicago), MarketingProfs will expand on many of the report’s findings, providing tracks for deciding how to balance tactics in your marketing mix, including e-mail, search marketing, and social media.
Related Links
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: Mobile Marketing and the Possibilities for B2B Marketers
The following notes come from the “Mobile Marketing: What are the possibilities for B2B Marketers?” session at the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA).
Presenters: Mickey Alam Khan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Mobile Marketer, and Michael J. Becker, EVP, Business Development, iLoop Mobile, Inc. (This was a highly informative session, jam-packed with useful statistics, especially about general mobile trends. A handout was not available that day, so this post is the result of my own quickly scrawled notes.)
According to iLoop Mobile’s Michael J. Becker, a mobile marketing model for organizations selling to other organizations doesn’t really exisit. The best strategy when sending messages to a B2B representative’s mobile device is to remember you are marketing to an individual, not an organization. Consumer usage is primarily responsible for driving mobile devices into the enterprise. The mobile device is not purely a consumer or work device; it is a life device. Becker reminds us, “When you market via someone’s mobile device, you are entering into that individual’s personal space.”
Why The Mobile Device is Important and Is Only Going to Become More Important to Marketers
- In some countries, mobile is the only channel; it’s the fastest growing media channel worldwide.
- Right now, 4 billion people use mobile devices. That’s a 64% penetration worldwide. The Internet has only 23% penetration.
- TV, radio, recordings, communities, print, cinema, and the Internet are all converging on the mobile phone.
- 34% of US mobile users have cut their landlines.
- Within the next five years, your mobile device is going to replace the majority of your laptop’s functions. Within the same time, mobile devices will be the primary way of accessing the Internet.
Understanding Your Audience
When marketing in the B2B space, what you can do is understand as much as possible about the individuals on the other end of those mobile devices as well as the kinds of devices they are operating. Here are some factors to consider:
- Interoperability
- Business Standards
- Handset Adoption: What kind of phone does your audience use? In the general population, overall 10% have a smart phone. Significantly more than 10% have a smart phone in corporate settings. The BlackBerry is the predominant business device today.
- Feature Adoption: For example: BlueTooth, Text Messaging, etc.
- Geography: Are they worldwide?
- Channel: SMS, MMS, E-mail, IVR (voice), Internet, Mobile web, BlueTooth, and applications.
- Customer Profile: Age, Type of Employment, Ethnicity (for example, the high popularity of the iPhone among Hispanic consumers), Social Networking Applications, and so on.
How Are You Going to Use Mobile For Marketing Purposes?
- Direct Mobile Marketing: Pushing a message to the mobile device via a text alert.
- Indirect Mobile Marketing: Invite them to opt-in to mobile updates through direct mail.
- Relationship-Building via the Mobile Web: Must build a web site that renders well on the mobile device. Only design part of your web site for the mobile device. Use a partner for handset detection issues (for example, how your web site renders on iPhone, BlackBerry, or Google Android devices.)
Mobile Marketing & Possibilities for B2B Space
- By 2111, more than ever (70%) will be calling into Customer Care via their mobile devices.
- Improved employee productivity through mobile collaboration, mobile IM, and mobile PBXs.
- Reduced costs.
- Branded utilities through store locators.
- Mobile enhancement of events: Booth locators, people finders, schedule organizers, text alerts, wake-up calls, mobile web sites, mobile couponing/discounts, mobile coverage, voting, BlueTooth, and so on.
More Information on Mobile Marketing
For more information on mobile marketing, these resources are helpful:
Related Links
- My Take On MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009 ~ re:invent, re:charge, re:engage
- Shannon Paul: Mobile changes everything.
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: Measuring Social Media’s Value
The following notes were part of the Tales from the Trenches, How Organizations Are Measuring Value in Social Media session, at the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA).
Presenter: Katie Delahaye Paine is CEO and founder of KDPaine & Partners LLC and author of Measuring Public Relationships, the Data-Driven Communicator’s Guide to Measuring Success. She is also a member of the IPR Measurement Commission.)
What Do You Need To Measure? Impact versus ROI
KD Paine distinguishes between measuring impact versus measuring ROI.
With impact, you are measuring outputs and outtakes:
- Did your relationships improve?
- Were your messages communicated?
- Did you get the exposure you wanted?
With ROI, you are measuring outcomes:
- Did sales or revenue or profits increase?
- Did your relationships change?
- Did the right people show up?
- Did audience behavior change?
The 7 Steps to Social Media ROI
The bulk of KD Paine’s presentation provided lots of specifics on how to complete the seven steps of social media ROI:
- Define the “R” – Define the expected results?
- Define the “I” – What’s the investment?
- Understand your audiences and what motivates them.
- Define the metrics (what you want to become).
- Determine what you are benchmarking against.
- Pick a tool and undertake research.
- Analyze results and glean insight, take action, measure again.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
KD Paine recommends defining your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) carefully because “you become what you measure.” She defines the perfect communications KPI this way:
- Gets you where you want to go (achieves corporate goals).
- Is actionable by individuals as well as departments.
- Continuously improves your processes.
- Is there when you need it.
Examples of KPIs
Here are examples of different KPIs:
- Cost savings
- Efficiency: Cost per message communicated. Cost per new lead/customer acquired.
- Productivity: Increase in employee engagement/morale. Lower turnover/recruitement costs.
- Engagement: Ratio of posts to comments. % of repeat visitors. % of 5+min vistors. % of registrations.
- Trust: Improvement in relationship/reputation scores with customers and communities (Loyalty/Retention).
- Thought leadership: Shares of quotes. Share of opportunites.
- Message Penetration: Positioning on key issues. Improvement in favorable/unfavorable ratio. Improvement in Optimal Content Score (OCS).
More Information
For the complete presentation from the MarketingProfs B2B Forum, see KD Paine’s handout. For information on measurement, these additional resources are also helpful:
Paine’s presentation, especially the distinction she makes between measuring impact versus ROI, reminded me of these related, recent posts, which throw a healthy dose of debate, into discussions on measuring social media’s value:
- ROI vs. “Impact on X” – Understanding what Social Media ROI is and isn’t.
- Social media success doesn’t start with ROI
Related Links
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: Making the Case for Social Media
The following examples come almost verbatim from a slide in the Tales from the Trenches, How Organizations Are Measuring Value in Social Media session, at the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA).
Presenter: Katie Delahaye Paine is CEO and founder of KDPaine & Partners LLC and author of Measuring Public Relationships, the Data-Driven Communicator’s Guide to Measuring Success. She is also a member of the IPR Measurement Commission.)
I found KD Paine to be a highly engaging and persuasive speaker, who has really done her homework, when it comes to measuring the value of social media. (Her session ranks among my favorites from the MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009, as far as content, organization, delivery, and immediate usefulness.) With her timely business examples, compelling statistics, and arsenal of analytical tools, I believe KD Paine could go head-to-head with any Doubting Thomas, who requires further convincing that social media is worth making the investment and indeed, quite measurable.
KD Paine’s examples below make a strong case for social media.
1. The Dept of Defense considers Twittering and other forms of social media critical to national security.
2. BMC Software measures communications effectiveness based on contribution to EPS (Earnings Per Share), that is, incoming leads from social media activities and savings using social media, as opposed to paid advertisements.
3. BestBuy measures 85% lower turnover as a result of its Blue Shirt community.
4. State Farm uses an internal blog to measurably improve morale.
5. ASPCA correlates increases in on-line donations and increased membership, with its social media efforts.
6. HSUS generated $650,000 in new donations from an on-line photo contest on Flickr.
7. NWF increased wildlife spotting as well as members, with its Twitter account.
8. The Red Cross measures the effectiveness of Twitter via lives saved and harm avoided.
9. ImmunizeBC measures success in terms of vaccines given, awareness, and traffic.
10. IBM receives more leads, sales, and exposure from a $500 podcast than it does from an ad.
11. 11 Moms turned around Walmart’s image and delivered measurable increases in sales.
12. @comcastcares [on Twitter] turned around Comcast’s customer service reputation.
13. A social media campaign for War Child delivered a 38% increase in donations and 300 new volunteers.
In the rest of her presentation, KD Paine provides many of the specifics which decision-makers require to evaluate programs, and which too often are not a part of the social media conversation.
More Information
For the complete presentation, see KD Paine’s handout. For more information on measurement, see these additional resources:
Related Links
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: A Day (Week, Month, and Year) in the Life of an In-House SEO Professional
The following notes come from the Bringing SEO In-house without Missing a Beat session at the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA).
Presenters: Bill Scully, Director of eMarketing at Siemens Water Technologies, and Jessica Bowman, In-house SEO Advocate, Founder of SEOinhouse.com, and Member, SEMPO Board of Directors.
Here, I list the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks, which Bill Scully described as part of in-house SEO at Siemens Water Technologies. I highlight these tasks to give those new to SEO a glimpse into the ongoing activities, which make up a successful program.
Ongoing Tasks for a Successful SEO Program
Daily Tasks
- Keep a Journal: Keep a log of tests and changes. Review results of changes, when necessary. Update conclusions.
- Check analytics, including spikes in traffic, goals, and keyword traffic.
Weekly Tasks
- Analyze web logs and reports: Key campaign traffic changes, goal changes, overall traffic changes, 404 errors and track back, and Linking Generation Reports.
- SEO Maintenance: Page sculpting, PPC ad split testing edits, landing page analysis, PPC keyword bid adjustments, optimize 10% of your worst PPC ad groups (Add Neg. Terms etc.), and review landing page tests.
- Outreach program: Conduct weekly staff/meetings, conduct one on ones, and attend IT/Web department meetings (application changes, structure changes, new project scopes, and reminding others of SEO requirements.) Review new and expiring trade-shows, print ads, product launches, and PPC campaigns with Marketing/MarCom teams. Review new and expiring job postings with Human Resources.
Monthly Tasks
- Attend a WebEx: Search Marketing Expo, Search Engine Strategies, Marketing Experiments, Schedule a Product/Service Demo with a Potential Vendor.
- Distribute SEO/SEM reports to management: Create and send report to internal customers. Plan new content projects for link building. Check your Google Webmaster Account. Schedule Monthly calls with internal customers. Find one new internal potential customer.
- Create a quarterly company SEO newsletter: Predictions/trends, case studies, competitive intel, and how people can help.
- Audit site/templates: Check all no-follows are still in place, make sure robots.txt file is still correct. Check custom 404 Page is still working. Check redirects are 301 and go to the proper pages.
- Schedule Authoring Training Sessions.
- Get Invited to a Sales Strategy Meeting.
- Update XML Site Map: Rerun your site map software. Upload new file to site. Submit it to Google Webmaster Tools, MSN, and Yahoo.
Yearly Tasks
- Hold individual product/market team FY strategy sessions: Campaign/Projects, Budgets/Goals, and Timing/Responsibilities.
- Put together your 1 and 3 year SEO strategic plan.
- Put together and build support for your yearly budget.
- Review department staffing, service, training needs.
More Information
For the complete presentation, see the handout. Bill Scully also recommends these resources:
- Bill Moran and Bill Hunt’s Search Engine Marketing Inc.
- Perry Marshall’s The Definitive Guide to Google Adwords
- Keyworddiscovery.com
Related Links
MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2009: Getting Buy-In for In-House SEO
The following notes come from the Bringing SEO In-house without Missing a Beat session at the MarketingProfs Business to Business Forum (June 8 & 9, in Boston, MA).
Presenters: Bill Scully, Director of eMarketing at Siemens Water Technologies, and Jessica Bowman, In-house SEO Advocate, Founder of SEOinhouse.com, and Member, Sempo Board of Directors. (I had the good fortune to sit next to Bill Scully at another presentation on Monday, and later be at the same table with Jennifer Bowman, at the Monday night dinner. Both were as personable, as knowledgeable.)
Qualities of a Good SEO Person
According to Jessica Bowman, a good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) person is “someone who is flexible, with both technical aptitude and soft skills,” including “the political finesse to get people to do what you want them to do.” In most organizations, Bowman continues, “SEO is still an add-on.” She counters, “It’s not something you add on to a project. It’s the way you design, code, and write.” She notes, “The challenge is to incorporate SEO into the development life-cycle. Everyone in the organization needs training: User Experience, Development, Project Managers, and QA.”
Who Do You Have to Convince?
To get buy-in for in-house SEO, Bill Scully recommends considering these issues:
- Who Holds the Purse Strings?
- Who is faced with the burden of planning and maintaining the program?
- Who else are stakeholders (IT, Operations, etc.)?
- SEO staff should be accountable for managing to goals.
- Do you have enough time to do the SEO busy work?
- Requires an expert on SEO, in-house.
Develop a 24-Month PR Campaign
To get buy-in for in-house SEO, Jessica Bowman recommends developing a 24-month PR Campaign:
- SEO changes/enhancements
- Create an SEO Dog-and-Pony show (Show why SEO makes sense and gets high priority. Give it to anyone and everyone).
- Get details on your plan into the company magazine.
- Offer SEO brown-bags.
- Train everyone on SEO.
- Have regular search marketing update meetings for all levels. (Reiterate what you need from them, and what they agreed to provide. Show where you were, and how far you’ve come.)
Steps to Get Buy In
Bill Scully recommends completing these steps to get buy-in for in-house SEO:
- Test: Do an SEO audit, Get a WordTracker Account, start a program under the radar. (According to Bowman, a customized SEO audit goes beyond the tools and stats provided in a standardized report (for example, reports from NetMechanic). Customized audits should run between 80 and 100 pages, including strategy and recommendations.)
- Roll out a small pilot. Work with early adopters. Meet monthly.
- Expand pilot. Success breeds success. Go after easy wins. Ask for bigger commitment. ($)
- Make business case. Share stats. Share competitive research.
- Ask for buy-in. Market your keyword tools, meet with product/market managers, and go after next year plans.
More Information
For the complete presentation, see the handout. For more in-depth information on getting buy-in for in-house SEO, Bowman recommends reading IBM Press’ Search Engine Marketing, Inc.: Driving Search Traffic to Your Company’s Web Site, by Mike Moran and Bill Hunt. According to the Amazon site, ”the authors systematically address every issue you’re likely to encounter, while helping you implement timeless strategies for delivering superior long-term results.”
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