The 5HITS

Internet Facts video:

from JESS3 on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas to all 3 of you who read my blog. I hope you all enjoy what I’m sure is a well deserved break, a Merry Christmas if you celebrate Christmas as I do and have a blessed new year.

Now, where would we be without forecasts for the new year and what might arise. As any good SEO would I turned to Google rather than think for myself and looked at the first result for search predictions 2009. Who knew Craig & Janes world predictions for 2009 would be #1. From them amongst other things including Victoria Beckham getting pregnant and many top companies going bust, there was nothing related to search other than what Im sure will be searches, if nothing else.

Moving further up the tree I found some digital marketing predictions. Some interesting takes on this included:

• Twitter providing unprecedented access to corporate personnel
• Listening programs through social media to “feel the pulse”
• Having less but more meaningful digital friends (quality v quantity)
• That social networks will be leveraged with the current budget squeeze

OK, enough nonsense, maybe lets try the proverbial horses mouth, Mr Cutts from Google himself. He reckons in 2009:

• Pay less attention to ranking
• Universal search will continue to expand
• That there will be improved indexing of engagement objects, specifically video

As Bruce Clay has also reiterated, analytics will become increasingly important, and after all, has always been the true measure of success. Is your traffic going up? And of course lets see what the shiny new Google spider brings forth in the new year when engagement objects become more integrated with the ranking algorithms.

Don’t brace yourself though, from past experience Google Australia is highly cautious with search results Read more…

Times are going to get tough, I think. Im probably not qualified to understand exactly how asset based leveraged derivatives have impacted on the debt market and the resulting impact on liquidity in the lending market, but, I think its safe to assume people will put the brakes on spending a little.

Just today, Harvey Norman said today they would cut advertising spend by 20% and McDonalds has consolidated their accounts which puts $15m of projects in question. (Source: Media Monitors)

3 things you need to do for the slowdown:

1. Paid Search:

If you are running your campaign based on a cost per customer acquisition or cost per conversion, why wouldnt you continue. Customers looking for your product or service, you pay for the lead and make a margin on that customer. Simple mathematics.

Where this falls down : If less people are buying, your cost per conversion will increase, potentially forcing you to reduce spend or the volume of conversions.

What you should do : Ensure your campaigns are focussed, move away from branding tactics and focus only on conversion keywords. Manage and monitor accounts closely, set clear monthly budgets.

Read more…

Internet Marketing Trends

• Mobile: Developing a strategy including frameworks for future mobile media consumption and usage. Begin testing mobile products in narrow verticals, using existing content and media. Gain a foothold in the market, while minimising investment.
• Digital media content and the mapping of this content to Google vertical databases for relevant high traffic search terms. Increasing the presence of relevant digital media across the sites, including video, audio, images and other user generated content and structuring these correctly within the website.
• Development and use of widgets to solve real user needs. Widgets can be included in igoogle, various social networking sites and made available for download for inclusion on other websites.
• Deliver localised search results to key target markets
• Google Maps: Google maps believe around 80% of searches can have a geographic anchor and as a result maps will continue to grow. Maps are being rendered in Universal for certain searches.

Why these will be important?

As organisations grow in their online presence, those with traffic, quality content and relevant digital media will have the ability to develop a significant Internet footprint and to dominate certain categories. The law of economics will ensure less sophisticated organisations disappear.