Me vs. Adwords

I thought tests were a thing of the past when I graduated college over 2 years ago. Seeing as how I have successfully eluded tests since that time I figured I was in the clear. I was wrong. This coming Tuesday I am scheduled to take the Google Adwords Certification Exam. A test I am told that was forged in the belly of a Pacific-Rim volcano by a breed of Googlers that can only be described as, well, EVIL. A test of might, will and the ability to click on the right radio button enough times to merit a passing percentage. Survivors have told me that if the test does not strip you of your soul it sure as hell will try.

So how have I prepared for my battle with the almighty of online you might ask? I’ve been studying. Totally lame I know, but repeatedly sticking oneself in the abdomen with a cattle prod apparently has no correlation to helping learn search, it just makes one badass. Instead, I’ve been perusing Google’s learning center each day in hopes that my brain can retain enough search data before Tuesday’s throw-down. Not to mention managing a bunch of campaigns. The learning center is a great resource and a good place for reference, but I’ve found the best cerebral saturation, like with most things, comes from hands on experience. Everything from setting up a sensible campaign structure to developing optimization tactics tailored to each of your campaign’s goals. I have really benefited from being exposed to multiple campaigns. I can use methods or tactics associated with one campaign, and either build off those or cultivate a new approach on another.

A general explanation I know, but there are so many ways to achieve your goals in SEM it’s hard to point out one part of the whole. My time is limited, IT nears. Come Tuesday I will awake a common man and hopefully go to bed as a Google Adwords certified man.

How much does a new website cost?

I wish I had an easy answer for you! Unfortunately, too many variables need to be considered by your team and addressed in your RFP before we can begin to estimate our time, materials and costs.

To get the ball rolling towards a budget - start by asking yourself - "what does our website mean to our business?" Is it simply a way for customers to find your contact details online or is it your primary sales and marketing vehicle? Either deserve a proper investment to insure that your business/products/services are represented in an attractive, easy to use and easy to share manner. If your company's sales depends on the cash register ringing online - then you must do a thorough vetting of the platform, shopping cart and complete ecommerce solution that any design agency proposes. And you will pay more for those tools then the business who simply needs to hang their shingle.

What you need your website to do for your business should also determine who does the work. Web designers and web developers can be professionals at specialty shops, independent freelancers, students and outsourced firms you can find on Craigslist. Their costs will vary and so will the quality of their output.

If your website is a brochure site or if it requires more complex functionality will also determine how the site is built. At M2i, we build some websites "from scratch" and others we construct by customizing templates and modules using open source content managment systems or blogging software. The development costs tend to end up where we predict at the beginning of a project. Design and creative concepts are where most projects can affect the original estimate. Well, conflicting aesthetic opinions and indecision are typically the chief culprits to be fair. (Disclaimer! M2i is not responsible for their client's inability to make up their minds! :o))

Design that is of good quality, that stands out and that reinforces the site's key functionality and overall user's exerience should be left to the professionals who have experience creating modern business tools for the web and who take the time to really understand the best practices for your business now and as your business grows. Design should be a consultative relationship and make sure that you enjoy working with the team you select for your project. Your website can look great, average, mediocre or stunningly beautiful and the quality of the aesthetic will affect the price tag.

In my experience, not enough thought goes into considering how a company's website should net a return on investment and every website should today. When you're coming up with your budget ideas - think about making the investment accountable to the spend - and consider spending more to get more out of it.

Your company's investment could foster better communication with your customers and therefore lessen your operation costs. Good customer communication will also build your brand's value and the customer's loyalty. Logically, your business will grow because of good referrals from a valid source - happy customers. Ideally, your website will allow your customers to connect with one another and get more out of their relationship with your brand! Or, your ROI will come in the form of stronger sales because your customers can find what they're looking for easily and your site provides a clean, simple purchase path. ROI can come in many forms and make sure to ask your agency selection to help you identify the possibilities for your business.

The benefit of working with M2i on your next website design project is that we are experts in the next phase of marketing that follows a website launch - advertising and bringing the crowds to your new cyber doorstep. This means that we build sites that consider your customers needs today and your prospective customer's demands tomorrow. And there my friends, is your ROI. How much is it worth to you?

Oh the kids these days... I just don't get it!

Sorry Peter Madden, I usually value your insights but today's post in Ad Age makes me want to throw a blanket over your lap after I pull your rocker closer to the fire.

If you're a marketer considering how your brand can advertise on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or any other social community tool and you share Madden's opinion - I encourage you to save your budget and stick to direct mail.

One of my favorite conversations I enjoy having with our clients are those where we explore the opportunities that these community-based web tools allow for advertisers and weigh their unique risks and rewards for their brand.

The first bullet point on the agenda is typically: * Don't interrupt.

I think I'm going to use Madden's opine to add color to our already colorful presentation - an example of what not to do.

I left these comments for him:

I'm not sure which hat I should be wearing to read this post. If I'm reading AdAge as interactive media professional, your sentiments about how to market to the audience on Facebook are well... showing your age and you shouldn't be responsible for anyone's social media budget. You don't get it. Frankly, advertising should not be an interruption any longer online or offline. If that's what you're after, you're doing it wrong now.

If I'm wearing my thirty something, lover of most things digital, mobile mama hat - I would simply say Facebook and probably any other community-fueled tool is just not for you. And that's ok.

Either way, I'm thinking that your sister should have left well enough alone.

Advertisers who will do well in these digital communities will figure out what these tools are intended to be used for, they'll respect how they are being used by the masses and then they will put the user guide down and break a mold or two. They'll create something that is unique, that is useful for the audience and that is easily shared.

Advertisers who interrupt should realize that just like in an offline conversation - that's just rude.

Ellie Johnson - Media Two Interactive

Marketing/Media Plan for 2013

I think everyone is in agreement that 2008 ended horribly, and 2009 is starting off with longer lines at the unemployment office than at Disney these days (FYI unemployment office workers – Disney started a “fast pass” program a number of years ago that is awesome – you may want to consider it for 09). Every morning my inbox is filled with 10% layoff notices at this agency and that agency, and everyone on the OldTimers List and my Twitter is networking and appealing to the masses. So how are companies going to survive 2009? Well – if you haven’t figured that out already, chances are you’re not going to – so let’s move on.

I sat in on a great strategy and recap session yesterday between our account services team and the client themselves. The client was asking how they could catch up to their number one competitor who had dominated their industry. We just started with them in September and we’ve already hit a lot of their goals and expectations, but we’re playing catch-up to their competitor, and so the point was brought up by our media team for the client to start thinking ahead. We’ll worry about planning and executing for 2009 and make it a success – but what is going to differentiate them in the future. How are we going to get ahead and have their competition trying to figure out what hit them?

The most common theme brought up was mobile and new applications such as iPhones that make desktops a thing of the past. According to a new study by Parks Associates published on Media Post there will be more than 140 million US consumers paying for mobile broadband services in 2013. I personally have used my laptop for maybe 5 things since getting my iPhone in November. So if your website isn’t currently mobile enabled at the very least – now’s the time to be doing it. Then starting to look at technologies such as the iPhone where it registers as a web browser rather than a mobile device, and it doesn’t yet accept flash… So you need to take that into account – but understand that in the future flash will be there – so don’t spend millions now to only have to change it later. Road map your audience by age category and target usage, and build your mobile site appropriately.

The key to your success is still going to be knowing who your audience is and what marketing principles have worked in the past. Saving yourself from the grey hairs (and unemployment lines) is going to come with aligning yourself with the right partner who understands all of the changing technologies and can guide you through the process.