Thanks for visiting!

Apparently, when the search term “diamonds” was typed into the Google search box, an “plus” icon appeared below the sponsored ad for BlueNile.com. When the user clicks on the “plus” icon, more detailed ads would drop down, which included additional information and even images. However, when I typed in “diamonds” into the search box, none of my results, paid or organic, returned a plus sign.

But it did get me thinking about the potential for such a feature. I agree with the article when they mentioned that it might work, if Google could keep the structure and feel of the ads consistent with the current format of Google paid ads. However, I think there is a fine line when it comes to clutter, and it could very well have the potential to get messy if not executed properly.

I think that this feature could benefit both the end user and the sponsor. It gives the end user another level of information at a glance, instead of actually having to commit to searching through the website for the information they are searching for. It allows the user to quickly skim additional information without wasting their time.

By having this feature on their ad, sponsors could have the potential of getting more users to click on the ad due to the additional information and potentially generate more traffic to the website. The user can see the product, read additional information on the product and follow through to the website.

But in addition to that, it could qualify the end user. By displaying more detailed information to the end user, it could filter the clicks to the site by weeding out those who are not interested. More importantly, the sponsor won’t have to pay for wasted clicks.

I think this concept could work for Google, the user and the sponsor. The only question that remains is: if and how will Google charge for this preview feature.

Visitors don’t want to be marketed to. They want the facts, and they want it now. The look, style and content will speak for your credibility, not your cliche marketing phrases. When the visitor enters your site looking for facts and information, and you give them fluff, they’re going to turn around and leave.

How can you help them? What information are they looking for? Try answering questions such as these when writing the site copy. According to the blog, by avoiding adjectives, providing objective information, and focusing on the needs of your audience, you can create a website that visitors will respond to.

Furthermore, most visitors on a website don’t want to have to search far and wide for usable content. Use concise, short sentences and get to the point in a timely manner. Proof your copy and see if you can make the content shorter. By shortening your content, you are more likely to keep the visitors attention span.

These tips, among others, are just a few that will help retain visitors’ attention to your site. For questions or more tips on how to optimize a website, email us at info@marion.com or call us at (713) 623-6444.

How Starbuck’s can go and turn oatmeal into the latest, trendiest breakfast is remarkable. And kudos to those who have turned Starbuck’s into the brand it is today, so that even something as boring as oatmeal, can turn into a hot, new commodity.

It takes a strong brand that consumers trust to do what Starbuck’s did to oatmeal. Apparently, Starbucks did not do a heavy marketing campaign on its launch of oatmeal, and now that I think about it, I vaguely remember a mention of the fact. But it found a market, women, and went after it.

According to statistics, women are big oatmeal eaters, perhaps because of the benefits that oatmeal offers like reduced cholesterol. Furthermore, it seems that Starbucks’ higher-ticket items appeal to more women. So, by offering a higher priced breakfast option to the already existing clientele, it seems that Starbuck’s would have breakfast in the bag.

Not only do the characters bring a face and personality for the brand, but these characters can become iconic, in a sense. They become a part of pop culture. They also unlock doors to alternative forms of marketing, like viral marketing, that are extremely hard to crack for marketers and advertisers. But having a video on You Tube with real people documenting their travels with a gnome is priceless – literally – but the benefits from the branding, publicity and marketing efforts cannot be compared to traditional media.

Traditional media, like commercials, may, if they’re lucky, have the same numbers of viewers as a popular You Tube video. However, the number of people who actually paid attention to the commercial drastically differs from the viral video, let alone the difference in production costs. Hands down, a popular viral video will trump a well-crafted commercial any day.

In order to effectively communicate with your audience, your use of language is important and can even potentially generate certain responses and lessen the “blow.” According to an article in Advertising Age, most PR professionals would agree. The article mentions that simply calling it a “rescue” or a “Save Our Homes Act” would have made the “bailout” something heroic – and Americans love their heroes. But instead, the government termed it as a “bailout” for the greedy, which in turn, generated antipathy for Wall Street and fear for the economy.

‘Bailout’ connotes failure, and Americans hate failure. There is nothing redemptive about a bailout.

If you want to have your audience on board, be it your employees, your customers, your church congregation, whoever, you must, not only communicate the problems and solutions, but speak in a language that is clear and effective.

Hurricane Ike was a massive storm that has taken out most of the power, among other things, in Houston, Galveston and the surrounding cities. And when the city is demanding a response, it seems that CenterPoint really doesn’t have a whole lot to say. Granted, I don’t think I have ever seen so many trucks and workers from CenterPoint in my life, and by no means do those workers who are working hard to restore the power at fault for the horrible communication coming from headquarters.

But, when asked when power was likely to be restored, CenterPoint’s response was three weeks and not much more specific than that. It is imperative to remember that communication, even if you have no update, is crucial especially in times of crisis. If you have no update, tell your publics that nothing has been determined yet, but your company is working hard to resolve the issue. If you’re silent, if you’re vague, if you’re contradictory, you’re guilty, or at least, that is how it will appear. Remember to stay in touch with your audience and keep them up-to-date.

So, what happens to your business when the power lines go down, and you can’t get calls? With Marion’s TLC for your ROI Program™, Marion can redirect our clients’ dedicated numbers to a cell phone or altenative number to capture their leads even when they can’t.

For more information on crisis communications, or if you would like more information on Marion’s TLC for Your ROI Program™, call (713) 623-6444 or email us at info@marion.com.

For advertisers, especially those involved in search marketing and online advertising, you’ll be interested to know that a lawsuit might be brought against Google to challenge the potential partnership with Yahoo’s search marketing. According to the Wall Street Journal, if Google does partner with Yahoo’s advertising, Google will then possess “80% of U.S. online-search ads.” 

So, clearly that statistic makes a few people nervous about violation of anti-trust laws and too much power residing with one company. However, by taking a closer look and really examining the merger from the perspective of the advertiser or end-user, this “monopoly” might make things easier while competition remains the same.

I think the most important question on people’s minds is: “How will the merger affect the prices?” Google doesn’t set the prices.  For both Google and Yahoo, the rates are on a bidding platform, so the more competitive it is, the higher the price. The user determines the value of the search term. The user only pays per click or, more specifically, they pay for the results. Furthermore, if the merger takes place, it is anticipated that Google will allow the user to choose if they would like to advertise on Yahoo.

For advertisers, I think the benefits will streamline the processes of running reports, making comparisons, measuring ROI, etc. Can you fathom one platform that would allow for better metrics, better comparison, and an easier time determining which ads are actually working? Plus, it seems that with Google running the show that the performance might be a bit better. Yahoo has been slipping within the last six months with their search marketing.

The Green Data Center Blog does have a point when it states that “this could be the big turning point for Google’s image,” and it will be interesting to see how Google handles this situation. Google always seems to break the mold in terms of their own marketing and advertising. The potential for the defamation of the Google brand is there, but I think based upon their past, Google will handle the situation diplomatically.

I think this move by Google is a great strategy to solidify their brand.  They have made Chrome open source which only enhances their image as a company that strives to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful,” and for the most part, free.  There is a Google Search Engine, Google Toolbar, Google Adswords and AdSense, and now a Google Browser. 

Google has positioned themselves as a master brand and not based upon some marketing model that has been used since the beginning of time.  They saw a problem, created their own way to fix it, and developed their own strategy to market their message to the world.  Google seems to be an innovator with anything that they touch.  They try to come up with their own ways of doing things, and it has seemed to be successful so far.  I wouldn’t think that Chrome would be any different.

I think that in terms of PR, like with the Obama campaign,  mobile marketing might be a great way to reach your audience.  More importantly, with SMS, the audience will opt-in for the service, that is, they want to be reached.  So, your message will only be targeted to those who wish to receive it, which helps with a company’s ROI.

Furthermore, in terms of Business-to-Consumer Marketing, mobile marketing may be a great tool to reach avid and loyal customers, by sending out promotions and other offers strictly for those who opt-in.  Also, information such as product launches and product availability can be sent out to customers via a text message. 

Alongside sending messages to your customers, sending messages internally to employees might be a great way to reach an audience on-the-go.

This is just another tool to try to reach a crowd that is on-the-go.  The thing to keep in mind is that they want it short, sweet and to the point. 

For more information on marketing and advertising services, visit our website.